Metallurgical furnace.



H. D-AVISON & L. O. HARVEY.

METALLURGICAL FURNACE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.14,1913.

Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

3 BHEETBT-SHEET 1.

THE NORRIS PETERS CO. PHOTOILITHOY. WASHINGTON. D C

H. DAVISON & L. G. HARVEY.

METALLURGICAL runmcn. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 14, 1913.

1 ,1 18.534. Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

H. DAVISON & L. G. HARVEY.

METALLURGICAL FURNACE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 14, 1913.

Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

3 SHEETS-MEET 3.

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WITNESSES.

In: rm m'i PETERS 1:0 PHoro-LHMa. WASHIN 4N. 1.:v M

HERBERT DAVISON,ANI) LEONARD CHARLES HARVEY, OF BATTERSEA, LONDON,

ENGLAND, ASSIGNORS TO THE MORGAN CRUCIBLE COMPANY, LIMITED, OF

LONDON, ENGLAND.

METALLURGICAL FURNACE.

Application filed March 14, 1913.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, I'IERBERT Dawson and LEONARD CHAnLns I'IARVEY, subjects of the King of Great Britain, both residing at Battersea lVorks, Battersea, London, England, have invented new and useful Improvements in Metallurgical Furnaces, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to furnaces chiefly designed formetallurgieal operations, wherein volatilization of the metals under treat ment takes place, such volatilized metals or gases, driven off from the metals or substances treated, (as, for instance, in the Parkes process for the desilverization of lead, in the reduction and distillation of zinc from zinc ores, concentrates, amalgams, resi dues or the like and in similar processes wherein retorts or like vessels are used) being condensed and collected.

In the Parkes process, or similar proc esses, it is usual to employ either one or several retorts or open vessels such as crucibles, arranged separately or together in melting chambers of the fixed or tilting description, and before or when the fumes begin to come off, to arrange covers over the open vessels, so as to make them into retorts, and to connect such vessel or vessels by a conduit or other connecting device to a condenser or condensers placed by the furnace; also it has been proposed to make use of a bottle shaped retort in a furnace mounted upon trunnions. In either case, however, the joints between the connecting device and the retort, or between the crucible with its cover, and the condenser have to be luted to render them gas tight, which operation is attended with considerable difficulty and uncertainty, as the luting of the joints has to be effected on hot surfaces.

According to this invention We provide a furnace having the condenser arranged in connection with the retort in such a manner that it can be quickly connected with the retort when required without the necessity for the luting of the said joints.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of a furnace constructed according to our invention. Fig, 2 is a plan partly in section, the section being taken on the line 22, Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section.

a indicates the retort advantageously in Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

Serial No. 754,347.

the form of a bottle laid upon its side, so that the opening 5 for the charging and discharging of the said retort is at one end of the latter in the usual way, and c is the condenser which constitutes a kind of hood and which is designed to join against a ring (5 around the mouth of the retort, so as to render unnecessary the operation of luting or plugging the joints each time the condenser is removed as hereinbefore referred to; the ring itself is permanently luted to the retort as indicated at (Z In practice the retort is mounted in a melting chamber of metal construction having a brick lining a and made in two sections (1, c adapted to be removed one from the other to allow for the introduction or renewal of the retort. The upper part c of the said melting chamber is provided with a flue opening 7 for the escape of the prod acts of combustion from the furnace, and with doors or dampers f fitting within openings which serve for charging fuel into the furnace and for affording access to the interior of the melting chamber for pokering or other purposes. The lower part of the said melting chamber contains the grate g on whichthe retort is suitably supported, for instance, on a series of blocks 9 g of fire resistingmaterial, holes or channels 9 being formed in the said blocks, if required, to distribute the heat on both sides of the furnace, or to form heatpassages to the under surface of the retort. Below the said melting chamber is formed an ash-pit h, in

the bottom of which a tray h is placed for collecting the contents of the retort should the latter crack or become broken. The grate is preferably constructed with hinged (or removable) sections 9 which can be dropped when required for the removal of clinker.

The furnace as described is provided at the lower part with rockers 2', i mounted ,1 upon suitable bearing rollers 2' 71 and attached to or formed integral with these rockers are toothed quadrants or racks j, with which worms controlled by suitable gearing j and operated by a hand wheel j engage in such a manner that the said melting chamber and ash-pit with the retort can be rocked to tilt the latter, either a to discharge the contents of the retort, or to incline or place the retort with its mouth uppermost so that it can be quickly charged; also, by this means the level of the molten charge can be maintained at any desired point during the melting process, or when the volatilization and distillation of the metals or substances takes place.

The air supply of the furnace is provided for by arranging in conjunction with an air supply pipe is, the air boxes 70 which bear against the external surface of the ash-pit it, and are connected with the latter through suitable holes is formed therein. These air boxes are elongated or made of such dimensions and shape that the openings in the ash pit will remain in communication with them notwithstanding the backward tilting of the furnace when placed so that the mouth of the retort is inclined upward for charging or other purposes. A series of twyer holes Z, Z is also formed aroundthe furnace through which holes air from below the grate passes through suitable ducts Z The condenser 0 which is advantageously made in sections 0 c is hinged at m, Fig. 2, to the metal casing of the melting chamber, so that it can be readily swung into position over the mouth of the retort a and removed therefrom when required, the condenser being adapted to join against the ring (Z, and to be fixed by a pin m or other fastening.

Around the condenser 0 a metal shield at, advantageously lined with a non-conductor of heat, is arranged and fixed in position, for instance, by nuts and bolts n", n Fig. 2, so that it can be easily removed, the said shield also extending over an opening 0 (or openings) in the wall of the melting chamber, through which the gases from the furnace can pass into the space between the said shield and condenser, so as to warm the latter, an opening a being formed at the top of the shield for the escape of the said gases into a flue n which communicates by open-- ings if, n with the flue opening T he condenser is also provided with a tap hole 79 for discharging from time to time the materials that may accumulate therein, and is so constructed that, if necessary, a bath of the condensed metal or substance can be maintained therein to assist the rate of distillation. The said shield and condenser are provided with a sight hole 9 normally closed by a plug 9 For such processes as do not necessitate the removal of slags after the completion of each heat, and where a continuous process is desirable, the retort a can be provided with an additional mouth or opening in any desired position and the furnace so arranged that it is possible to leave the condenser described fixed in position and undisturbed, this second opening serving as the charging and pouring aperture, which can be closed by a plug, stopper, second condenser box,

or similarly arranged air tight door when charging is complete and volatilization is to take place.

It is to be understood that furnaces such we have described can be made in various sizes to suit special requirements, and also that although the present furnace is particularly adapted for coke or other solid fuel, such furnaces can be equally well constructed for liquid or gaseous fuel.

Claims:

1. In a metallurgical furnace of the kind referred to, the combination with a furnace chamber, of a crucible provided in said chamber, a condenser, and means for temporarily connecting the retort and condenser whereby an airtight oint between the two is automatically effected when the parts are brought together.

2. In a metallurgical furnace of the kind referred to, the combination with a furnace chamber, of a crucible provided in said chamber, a condenser, and a ring for temporarily connecting the retort and condenser whereby an airtight joint between the two is automatically effected when the parts are brought together.

3. A. metallurgical furnace comprising a furnace chamber, a condenser pivotally connected to said furnace chamber, a crucible provided in said furnace chamber and having its mouth opening into said condenser, and means for connecting the mouth of the retort and condenser whereby an airtight joint between the two is automatically effected when the parts are brought together.

a. A metallurgical furnace comprisinga furnace chamber, a condenser pivotally con nected to said furnace chamber, a crucible provided in said furnace chamber and having its mouth opening into said condenser, and a ring permanently luted to the mouth of said crucible whereby an airtight joint between the condenser and the mouth of the crucible is automatically effected when the two are brought together.

5. A metallurgical furnace comprising a furnace chamber, a condenser formed of two parts pivotally connected to said furnace chamber, a crucible provided in said furnace chamber and having its mouth opening into said condenser, and means provided between said condenser and the mouth of said crucible whereby an airtight joint between the two is automatically effected when the condenser is swung into operative position.

6. A metallurgical furnace comprising a furnace chamber formed of two parts, doors provided in the upper part of said chamber for firing the furnace chamber, a condenser located on the exterior of said furnace chamber, a crucible provided in the lower part of said furnace chamber and having its mouth opening into said condenser, and means pro vided between said condenser and the mouth of said retort whereby an airtight joint between the two is automatically effected when the parts are brought together.

7. A metallurgical furnace comprising a furnace chamber, a flue provided in the same, a supplementary flue provided on the exterior of said casing, passages placing the flue and supplementary flue in communica-- tion, a condenser, a sheathing surrounding a said condenser and provided with a pipe which communicates with said supplementary flue, said sheathing being located at a distance from said condenser to provide a space between the two, an opening provided between the furnace chamber and the space between the sheathing and the condenser, a crucible provided in said furnace chamber, and having its mouth opening into said condenser, and means provided between the condenser and the mouth of said crucible whereby an airtight joint between the two is automatically eifected whenthese parts are brought together.

8. A metallurgical furnace comprising a furnace chamber mounted on rockers, means for operating said rockers, an ash pit located beneath said chamber, apertures provided in said ash pit and elongated air boxes communicating with said apertures, said air boxes being adapted to communicate with the apertures in all positions to which the furnace is moved.

HERBERT DAVISON. LEONARD CHARLES HARVEY.

Witnesses to the signature of Leonard Charles Harvey:

FLORENCE HARVEY, Eva EASTON.

Witnesses to the signature of Herbert Davison:

A. R. BOSNEAU, H. C. O. ADAMS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, 1).0. 

